Luminaires used for area or outdoor lighting may include a housing that surrounds one or more high intensity discharge (HID) lamps such as, for example, Metal Halide (MH), Pulse Start Metal Halide (PSMH), or High Pressure Sodium (HPS) HID lamp(s). The one or more HID lamps are the sole light source in such luminaires and are typically activated when artificial lighting is needed.
Other luminaires used for area or outdoor lighting may include a housing that surrounds an LED light source having one or more solid state light emitting diodes (LEDs) producing a lumen output similar to that of one or more HID lamps. The one or more LEDs are the sole light source in such luminaires and are typically activated when artificial lighting is needed.
Such luminaires may be coupled with one or more control devices in order to turn the luminaires off when full lighting output is not necessitated and/or to operate the luminaires at a reduced light output level when full lighting output is not necessitated. For example, a controller may be contained within each of the luminaires and be connected via control wiring to a controlling device such as an occupancy sensor, time switch, photocell, or lighting control panel. Each controller may cause the corresponding luminaire to be turned off and/or to operate at a reduced light output dependent on the signal received over the control wiring from the controlling device.